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New hockey body is ‘powerless’

HYDERABAD: The recently-formed Hockey Andhra Pradesh (HAP), said to be the representative combined unit of Hyderabad Hockey Association, Andhra Hockey Association and AP Women’s Hockey Association, is only an adhoc body and doesn’t have the mandatory affiliation to the AP Olympic Association and the powers to run the sport in the State, according to K. Jagadishwar Yadav, secretary of APOA.

It is also clarified that the merger process of the State Associations – both men’s and women’s hockey – is complete in all aspects only when all the district units elect a State-level body representing both the sections.

“To facilitate this, we have appointed a three-member panel headed by A. P. Jitender Reddy (former MP) and comprising A. Prakash (West Godavari) and Malla Reddy (Ranga Reddy) to ensure formation of a duly elected body of HAP at the earliest,” the APOA secretary informed The Hindu on Thursday.

HHA disaffiliated

He also revealed that at its first executive committee meeting in July, the APOA had disaffiliated HHA as per the directive of IOA (which did the same with the other State units). “As such there is no HHA existing right now. And, consequently, the demand by a section in the HHA for elections too doesn’t arise,” he explained.

It may be recalled here that the tenure of the present HHA office-bearers has ended and elections were due in May 2008. A demand for elections has been pending since then. “Hockey Andhra Pradesh is only a temporary arrangement, which they claim had to be done to meet the requirement of Hockey India directive,” the APOA secretary explained.

The other revelation was that Hyderabad District Hockey Association doesn’t even exist in the affiliated units list of AP Olympic Association and consequently anyone claiming to be a member representing Hyderabad district doesn’t arise. Similarly, there are no records with the APOA when the elections to APWHA were held the last time.

Even though, APOA official hinted at Hockey India granting recognition to the Hockey Andhra Pradesh for purely academic reasons, he reiterated that it will only be a ‘registered’ body on the rolls for academic purposes.